Tains was a little shaken -- literally -- by the abrupt handshake. But she couldn’t help but smile. He was the first person she’d met who’d actually shaken her hand. Granted, she couldn’t blame the last person, what with the curry…

Looking at Andres now, she noticed he looked familiar. He was most definitely in Cetus. She had seen him more than once during breakfast, chattering away in a mixture of Spanglish to anyone who’d listen. He’d seemed friendly and it was comforting to hear the familiar language, but she had been too awkward to approach him and sit next to him.

Hopefully, he was good at spellwork. While not the worst at spellcasting, she was far from the best. Andres had been working on the advanced spell rather confidently and seemed to have the hang of it. Well, minus the dead grass. At least his eyebrows were still attached to his head. That had to count for something.

“I got here a little late, so I’m a little lost,” she said. She glanced around her. Students in groups of two and three were already making their way across the field, picking things up and sending things flying.

They were already behind and the sudden burning competitive fire flared up inside her. She faced the metal disk that was on the ground and pulled out her wand.

“I’m a little rusty but don’t you worry, I’ll hold my weight! Let me try holding up the disk,” Tains said. She turned to the metal disc and took a deep breath. In a voice as steady as she could muster, she said “Wingardium Leviosa.” She had never been particularly talented at magic but Nalo had let her borrow enough spell books for her to figure out the basics. The metal disk began to rise and teetered from side to side. It didn’t rise far, maybe about a foot, but it remained in the air.

“Yes I did it!” she said, more to herself than anyone else. Her sudden burst of excitement nearly sent the disk flying and she quickly moved to steady it. Looking across the field, she saw they still had a long way to go.

“Umm, I’m afraid this is the most I can do with the spell,” Tains said, turning to Andres. “There’s plenty of stuff we can work with though, right? You know what you’re doing with the rope spell, right?”

Andres opened his eyes slowly in the morning, turning his head towards the incoming light through his window shades. After years of being haggled, dragged, and sprayed to get out of bed, his internal ... more